The invention relates to substrate support mechanisms such as are used in a semiconductor processing chamber, e.g. a rapid thermal processing (RTP) chamber.
In an integrated circuit fabrication process, a substrate processing device holds a substrate in a processing chamber and subjects the substrate to a chemical or physical process, such as etching, deposition, or annealing, just to name three examples. Inside the processing chamber, the substrate rests on a susceptor, support ring, platen, or some other substrate support. In order to increase throughput, prevent contamination, and avoid human error, an automated robot handler moves the substrate into and out of the chamber. A gentle "hand-off" between the robot handler and the substrate support is typically accomplished by a lift pin apparatus.
The lift pin apparatus includes several lift pins which can move vertically to raise and lower the substrate. To transfer a substrate from the robot handler to the support, the lift pins rise vertically and pick the substrate off the robot handler. After the robot handler retracts, the lift pins lower the substrate onto the support. When the process is complete, the lift pins raise the wafer off the support and the robot handler is positioned beneath the substrate. Then the lift pins lower the substrate onto the robot handler.